Electrically-controlled blowing-head for glass-blowing machines.



0. A. HANFORD.

ELEGTRIGALLY GONTROLLED BLOWING HEAD `FOR GLASS BLOWING MACHINES'.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1910. L1 23,5%3.,

` J l d T W 4 Y M T Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

. t a e;

i @RIN A. HANFOR, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YO ASSIGNOB TO EMPIRE MACHINE COMP, '0F PORTLAND, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

ELEC 5:1101-,

pecincation of Letters Patent.

Y-CONTOLLED BLOWING-HEAD FOR GLASS-BLOWING MACHINES.

Patented Jan. 5, i915.

Application filed November 4, 1910. Serial No. 590,693.

To 'all whom it may concern Be it known that I, @RIN A. HANFORD, a

citizen of the United States of America, and

trolled.

Heretofore it has been the practice so far as known to me to so construct the chuck forming part of such a head, that the chuck was either closed upon the blow-pipe manually after the introduction of the blow-pipe therein, necessitating a special movement of theV operator for this purpose, or else the blow-pipe has been caught by the chuck, due to the force with which it is inserted therein, this jarring the gather and being incompatible with the requirements of the fine work. By one feature of my invention l prevent this, as the insertion of the blowpipe into the chuck closes an electrical circuit by which the chuck jaws are actuated to grasp the blow-pipe. The chuck is further advantageous in that a very flexible drive for the blow-pipe is provided and one which in spite of the inequalities and irregularities existing between the blow-pipes permits the gathering ends thereof to be properly positioned over the molds without straining the parts.

The second feature of my invention, namely the electrically actuated air valve, is particularly desirable in machines in which the air valve is'relatively movable in respect to the part by which its opening and closing is controlled, for instance such as described in another application liled by me by which the above results are obtained, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which corresponding parts are designated by corresponding marks of reference: F igure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through a blowing head constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section thereof on line X12-X2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an inverted horizontal section on line X3* 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional View through the stem of the chuck. Fig. 5 is a side elevation partly broken away of the plunger and clutch for the chuck. Fig. 6 is a similar view of Fig. 5 taken at right angles thereto. Fig. 7 is an enlarged section through the valve cylinder of the air valve.

The blowhead forming the subject matter of this application may be mounted in any approved manner but as shown it is carried on the upper part of a frame composed of the rods A which pass through the chuck casing A. rods A a longitudinal bushed bearing a in which is mounted the tubular stem B, which at its lower end is united to the shell C of the blow-pipe chuck by the screw joint b, which permits the ready assemblage of the parts. The chuck shell is tubular and con- `tains within the interior thereof the cores of magnets D, D', energized by the coils d, d respectively, the winding of the magnets being such that unlike poles of the magnets are presented to each other. The pole ends of the magnets are so shaped as to form between them radial guide ways d2 eX- tending longitudinally of the axis of the chuck, in which on each side of such axis are contained magnetic plungers E, E', etc., the construction of the parts being such that upon the energization of the magnets the plungers are drawn toward the axis of the chuck, the ends of the plungers being rounded to bear upon the end of the blow-pipe (shown dotted in Fig. 1) which may be inserted within the central recess left between the magnetic cores within the chuck shell. By reason of the fact that a plurality of plungers are used upon each side of the axis,

This casing has in front of the 'f the one located above the other, an intimate contact is obtained between the plungers and the blow-pipe in spite of any irregularity inthe shapeof the latter, by which a greater driving -grip is obtained. For the purpose of permittlng the ready insertion of a blowpipe within such chuck the lower end of the shell thereof is partly closed by a plate c having a bell mouth c2 serving as a guide for the blow-pipe to properly position it inrespect to the 'central hole or recess in the magnets. The chuck stem B projects through the chuck casing A and has thereon a pin- 1on F gearing wlth a driver F upon the end of the shaft F2 mounted in the frame formed by the rods A and to which shaft motion may be imparted in any suitable manner. As thus constructed it will be seen that the blow-pipe chuck will be rotated by means of the shaft F2.

For the purpose of conveying current to the coils d, d of the electromagnetic chuck, the shell C has upon the upper surface thereof two collector rings G, G upon which brushes g, g carried in a laterally projecting ear from the casing, respectively bear. The'collector ring G is directly connected to one end-of the coils aZ and d by means of a flexible conductor g2 and the ring G is connected to the other end of the coils by means of an automatic switch which will now be described.

Mounted centrally within the stem B of the chuck, and guided for longitudinal movement therein, by a plug II in the base thereof and by areduced central bore t at the top of the stem is a tubular plunger I, the plunger being normally depressed by means of a spring z' contained in the bore. The plug H has a collar J upon -its upper end and insulated from the body of the plug by the insulating material y', the said collar having projecting upwardly from one side thereof a sta-ndard 5'2 upon whichvisl pivoted at js the contact arm K having a forked bell crank lc which embraces a strikery pin i, upon the side of the plunger I. The upper end of this contact arm plays between a stop ear j* formed upon the standard 7'2 and a contact ear j formed upon the plate .7'5 carried upon and insulated from the top of the standard i2. rI he body of the vplug H has longitudinal bores therein, bushed with insulating material L, in which are contained conducting pins Z, Z, which when the chuck is assembled respectively contact with spring `m and m mounted in the shell C, the spring m being connected to the ring G by the wire n while the pin Z is connected by the conductor o with the insulating plate js. The ring J is connected by the w1re o with the pin.Z and the spring m is connected b the wire n with that end of the coils d, which is not connected to the collector G. The lower end of the plug H is recessed to receive and take a gasket h surrounding the lower end of the plunger I and held in place by the washer h2.

With the parts thus assembled 1t w1ll be seen that -upon the introduction of the blowpipe in the bell mouth o2 and through the central bore of the magnets the extreme end thereof will come into simultaneous contact with the gasket h and end of the plunger I and that as the blow-pipe is shoved into place the plunger will be lifted and will through the pin i* rock the lever K to throw the upper end thereof into contact with the contact stop j on the insulated plate j, thus closing thE workcircuit from brush g to brushg as follows; brush g, rin G, wire n, contact spring m, pin Z, wire o, p ate j, contact j", contact lever K, rin J, wire o,.pin Z, spring m', wire n', coils and d, wire g2, collector ringG and brush g', thus energizing the magnets and causing the plungers E, E etc., to be drawn against and drive the blow-pipe. To premit the removal of the blow-pipe after the blowing the circuit external to that herein described may be broken in any approved manner thus deenergizing the magnets to release the pressure of the plungers on the blow-pipe to release the grasp thereon.

Enasmuch as the end of the plunger I is held in intimate contact with the end of the blow-pipe by the push spring z, it will be seen that the plunger will follow in its longitudinal movement any corresponding movement that may be given to the blowpipe and to-permit slight movement of the blow-pipe without effecting the contact between the Contact stop j and the contact lever K, a limited amount 'of play is left between the pin 'Z4 and the bell' crank Zc of the contact lever, whereby this movement of the plunger is permitted. This necessitates that means be employed to hold the contact arm K in its two eXtreme positions until it is moved by the plunger and this is provided in the form of a spring P, having its one end mounted in the standard jz and its opposite end mounted in the contact lever K, the tension of the sprin in the`position shown in Figs. 4 and 5 eing to hold the contact lever against its back stop j, while after the lever has been forcibly moved over a certain distance toward the contact stop j?, the spring will be shifted as shown in dotted lines in these figures to hold the arm forcibly against the last named contact. This spring therefore provides for` throwing the switch arm in either direction and serves to hold it in one or the other of its extreme positions until it is forcibly removed, therefrom.

A hollow combined air and valve box Q is mounted in the head, being secured above the chuck casing by the rods A which pass therethrough and contains in its base axially to the chuck a stuffing box R into which the upper end of the tubular stem B of the chuck projects. The upper end of the stuifing box receives a valve well R provided with a valve seat R2 provided with an eccentrically situated port 1". Within the valve well is rotatably contained a valve cylinder S provided With an eccentrically situated port s', the valve cylinder being held against the valve seat by a coil spring S, one end of which is secured to the valve cylinder and the other end to the plate T mounted over the cylinder and rigidly car ried in the air box, the function of the spring being not only to hold the valve cylinder upon its seat but also to hold it in its normal angular position, which is shown at Fig. 7.

Two pairs of verticall electromagnets V are mounted in the air box chamber Q around the valve Well and have their' like poles connected by pole pieces V. which are concentric in respect to the axis of rotation of the valve cylinder, which latter carries an armature V2 mounted betweenthe pole pieces and adapted to be drawn by the pull thereof When energized into a position to cause the ports fr and s in the valve seat and valve cylinder to register, thus permitting air which may be introduced into the valve chamber through the induction port g to enter the tubular plunger and thus iow into the blow-pipe. The external circuit of these magents may be completed from the binding posts u through a switch Worked automatically as a function of a machine or manually as may be desired and the ports 1" and s are extended on their contiguous ends by V-shaped slots r2 and s? respectively disposed at a considerable angle to the diameter passing through the ports, thereby producing a gradual increasing in the area of the air passage as the valve is turned to a greater extent, which is desirable in an air valve for' a glass blowing machine. The top oi' the air box Q carries a dial disk W, adapted to be clamped in any desired posi` tion by the clamp nut lV and provided with an outwardly projecting pin 'w adapted by contacting with the armature V2 to arrest the rotation of the latter at any desired point, thereby determining the extent to which the air valve shall be opened. A

handle w may be provided to set this dial plate in the desired position.

Having thus described my invention What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. An electromagnetic chuck for glass blowing machines, comprising electromagnets and a series of superimposed independently movable plungers actuated thereby and adapted to grasp the blow-pipe.

2. An electromagnetic chuck for glass blowing machines, comprising electromagnets, the polar extensions of which form guide chambers and a series of superimposed, independently movable plungers contained in the said chambers and adapted to grasp the blow-pipe. Y

3. An electromagnetic chuck for glass blowing machines, the 4combination with a chuck shell, of electromagnets contained in the said shell, the polar projections of which form guide chambers, a series of superimposed independently movable plungers contained in the said chambers and adapted to grasp the blow-pipe, means for rotating the said tubular shell and means for conducting an electric current to the said electromagnets. f

4. The combination 1n an electromagnetic tating electromagnets, plungers actuated thereby and adapted to grasp the blow-pipe, and an electric switch adapted to complete the circuit through the said magnets upon the insertion of the blow-pipe in the chuck. 5. In an electromagnetic chuck for glass blowing machines, the combination with electromagnets having a central recess to receive .the blow-pipe, means for rotating the magnets, an armature for the said magnets adapted to grasp the blow-pipe, a plunger mounted in the chuck and adapted to be moved by the blow-pipe and a switch adapted to be thrown by the plunger to complete the circuit of the electromagnets.l

ORIN A. HANFORD. Witnesses: J. DONALD Snoscnor'r, CHARLES F. DOEHLER.

-chuck for glass blowing machines, of ro- 

